City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 3.4% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $103,400 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.6% moving from Bremerton, WA to Fresno, CA ($119,630 → $106,973), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.6% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,734 in Fresno | $103,376 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
79 Strong offer
Fresno, CA → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Fresno, CA | Real change, Bremerton → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,033 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $75,055 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,959 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,973 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $126,410 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $78,800 | $81,460 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $129,060 | $133,417 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $78,690 | $81,347 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $125,420 | $129,654 (+20.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.